Victory

I have shared about the Tri-State Cook-off in Dothan before here. Justin, Chris (my brother) Ryan (my BIL) and my Dad make up the Opossum Trots Team 2011.  Poe...aka Possum is also part of the team but didn't make it this year.  Justin's Dad and a few of his friends also participate as Team USP and the cook off is more about beating team USP than anything else, as it will bring HUGE bragging rights for the rest of the year.  Well, this year the Opossum Trots out did themselves and went and won the whole dang 'Backyard Division'.  They placed 1st in Chicken, 2nd in Brisket and 4th in both Pork Butt and Ribs AND Best overall.  In the four years that they have been cooking in this cook off they have only won once....so to take it away like this was HUGE and it was so fun.  Makes all of the hard work and preparation worth it.  The event this year was also much bigger and included small fair rides for the kids on top of all of the BBQ and cooking.  It was really fun and it was also quite hot.  Thankfully one of the team USP members were generous enough to share their camper which allowed us women and babies a place to cool off as needed! Among the two teams there was also golf carts/gators and Collier would jump on with whoever was driving off...he didn't care who was going but just wanted to be sure to get to ride!  Loves those things!





I am just very proud of these guys.  They work and plan all year for this and to be rewarded like this was great to see.  They were thrilled....as you can see as they ran up on stage and really showed out.  We (as in thew wives of these men and Team USP) now have a year ahead of us where all that we will hear about is this victory.  Justin felt the need to ask all of us wives..how does it feel to sleep with a champion?  Gesh!
This also gave us the opportunity to be with our sweet nieces....we got to have some sweet time with Eve and Emory and as you can see in the pictures CH and Ash had a big time.  Hayden keeps getting bigger and bigger and with that her smiles get better and better.  I have never seen a child smile and laugh like she does! Oh so sweet!

CH trying to get Emory to hold his hand...

Weekend Ending

The remainder of our weekend was good...Justin went to Atlanta to go to Wrestle-mania...yes he watches wrestling.  It is totally silly but he has a good friend who works for a publishing company who publishes wrestling/WWE books (did you get that) and he invited Justin to attend with some of the perks [box seats] he gets through his company.  And so he did!  I am sure that he is going to KILL me for posting this picture...but it is REALLY a joke.  He said that people were walking around with these belts on, as in wearing them for-real.  He asked some random guy if he could get a picture with it.  That sort of makes me laugh too!

While Justin was off with the guys, Collier and I headed out to Stadiumfest with Mom and Dad to listen to Casting Crowns.  It was so much fun.  It was an outside event that was packed and we got to hear some great music.  Collier wouldn't sit still [probably didn't help that he hadn't taken an afternoon nap] and Dad followed him all around, I think that Collier enjoyed the freedom.  When we got back into the car, Collier was asleep before we were out of the parking lot!  One tired little munchkin.  But, it was fun and something different to do.  

Sunday, I decided to make some homemade hamburger buns...YUMMMM!!!! and Mom and Dad came over and we cooked turkey burgers.  It was delicious and I really liked the buns.  I know it sounds strange to make hamburger buns, but it makes me crazy to buy a package of 8 buns that we NEVER finish and to have FRESH is way better.  Plus it was fun.  I plan to make another batch and then freeze them in packs of 4 so when we need them it is quick and easy.  I even made a chicken sandwich last night with the left over buns and it was yummy as well.  I love any kind of fresh bread.

Collier also banged up his knee AGAIN!  He will never have clean and clear knees, I've just come to accept it.  But it was bleeding and I was trying to get out the door so I cleaned it up and stuck a band aid on it.  He started crying when I un-peeled the band aid but once I got it on him he was ok and kept telling everyone that he had a boo boo.  He has never been a fan of band aids, which is strange to me...I thought all kids loved band aids.  Anyway, I may have converted him now although I am really not 100% sure.  He did tell Mom that he needed one on the other day.  

I hope that the sun is shinning wherever you are!!!

  so that you can wear your sunglasses...UPSIDE DOWN!

Teeth

We have really been blessed with how well Collier has been. And by 'well' I mean he really hasn't been sick all that much. I hope that I am not jinxing myself. I don't really believe in that because I know that God is in control of all things and there is no jinxing God....He has a plan! So with that being said, We have only had 2 sick visits to the doctor with Collier. Anytime that he runs a fever, runny noise and/or is more fussy than normal I go straight to the teeth. I immediately assume it is his teeth. I have no idea what I am going to blame once all of his teeth are in! So far I have been right, except the one time he had a few allergy issues which is one of the two sick visits mentioned above. So, Wednesday he started with a runny nose and for the past week the boy has been gnawing on his fingers. The nose and drool are constant for the past several days.  The fingers still remain the the mouth at all times...it is basically a miracle that he has any fingers left at all!

I am just praying that these little teeth will break through and he will not be hurting any more.  He is so tolerable of the pain...I know it must hurt and for the  most doesn't act like they are too bad.  I am so thankful for that. 

Yesterday I spent part of the day in the kitchen...having a blast.  I made homemade ice cream that turned out pretty good...I needed to let it churn a little longer than I did but other than that it was delicious.  I have made note of that and plan to make it again. I also made pizza dough for us to have a Chicago deep dish pizza last night with friends over to enjoy.  Great ending to a fun day for us! 

Dothan Visit

We went to Dothan for the weekend.  It was a great and fun weekend.  Justin got to hunt with Chris on Saturday morning while Collier and I headed to the park to run out some energy.  I have read and heard great things about the park at Westgate and have been dieing to try it.  WOW is all that I can say.  It is HUGE and has something for all ages!  Lots of room for running and Collier really enjoyed it.  We drained as much energy as possible and then put him down for his morning nap before we headed to Elizabeth's 2nd Birthday party.  It was such a fun party and it was just right.  It was actually a joint party...cousins turning two..  They had a hayride and the Collier was thrilled to see the tractor...  After the party we then stopped by to see my brother and his family. That sweet baby Hayden fell asleep right in my arms and my heart just melted.  I just loved seeing Collier and Ashlyn play and get to be with one another.  Collier loved his time with Papoo and Nunny.  Papoo out did himself with dinner both nights...we ate well to say the least!

on the hay ride...We keep our fingers in our mouth at all times lately!  Hello Teeth.

Elizabeth and Eddie with Justin and Collier

CH with Ash on the Tractor...I am so glad my brother has a tractor b/c it makes ch very happy.

learning to PULL the wagon instead of pushing it...from a very good teacher, might I add!

This is the little angel that feel asleep in my arms and I didn't want to let her go....

The weather has turned off a little cooler this week.  I just love it because it isn't too hot but also not cold cold.  A lot of people are missing the warmer (upper 70's) temperatures that we had last week.  We got a little glimpse of that spring time weather but I know better because in Alabama we don't have much of a spring...it goes from freezing to flaming hot, with a huge dose of humidity.  So, compared to what is ahead I will take any sort of cooler and colder weather!  I am very thankful for the rain that we've had and for the cooler temps!  It means that I get to wear my boots a few more time before they get stored away for the summer!!

Hello Spring

Gosh the weather this weekend was amazing.  You never know if Spring is actually here or if there will be one more swing of cold weather...but either way...I am so thankful for this weekends weather. Collier has slept past 6:30 the past three mornings which has been awesome.  We have gone for walks/runs and played at the park, Friday we went to the park by Spain Park High School and then Saturday we headed to the preserve.  We have spent countless hours in the swing in the back yard as Collier puts it 'swig hiiii'  He love to swing and he likes to swing high...no slow or low swinging for this little munchkin.  We played with trucks and cars and of course with Brinkley.  He is getting better and better with hitting the ball off of the T..mostly hitting the T but when he makes contact with the ball it goes pretty far.  We ate lunch outside all weekend which Collier really loved.  I have mentioned that Collier is talking so much!  I wondered if he would ever really talk and put words together and we are there!  No full sentences but words for everything.  Justin asked last night how does he knows what everything is - and I am honestly not sure either. He is a lot like his daddy in the sense of being quite a funny little man.  He loves to make us laugh and then will continue to do whatever is making us laugh.  So cute!!!

Yum fudge-cycle

He was telling the bee's 'no no'

Playing cars with Pops and G

Glorious Day

Ok, so I have another song favorite to share with you.  Lets just shout to the Lord in Praise today!!  As I mentioned before, I love music and this one is one that I think is new (it may be a really old song but they seem to be playing it a lot on the radio) but the words just hit me like a ton of bricks!   I hope that you love it as much as I do.



A few weeks ago at a retreat someone shared during the devotion how she is constantly making lists of her 'to-do's' for the day and how she never seems to get everything she needs to get done done in a day.  I often say that...there are just not enough hours in a day for me to do all that I need to do.  She said something that really struck true to my heart...there are enough hours in every day to complete everything inside the will of God.  God only give us what we can handle and His list probably looks much different than my list but the question that came to mind was....am I looking to Him for what I need to complete today rather than looking to my own interest and list!  So in my Lenten devotion (40 Days with Jesus by  Sarah Young) a few days ago Sarah Young put it very clearly: She has written as if Jesus is speaking to directly to you personally...

Let my LOVE enfold you in the radiance of My Glory.  Sit still in the Light of My Presence, and receive My Peace.  These quiet moments with Me transcend time, accomplishing far more than you can imagine.  Bring me the sacrifice of your time, and watch to see how abundantly I bless you and your loved ones.  Through the intimacy of our relationship, you are being transformed [2Cor 3:18]from the inside out.  As you keep your focus on Me, I form you into the one I desire you to be.  Your part is to yield to My creative work in you, neither resisting it nor trying to speed it up.  Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace.  Hold My hand in childlike trust, and the way before you will open up step by step.

I just loved it and so desire to have the intimacy with God and I want to be formed into what He wants to make of me.  Instead I continue to have to remove my 'self' out of the way constantly to allow Him to work and mold me.  I keep getting in the way!  I also like how when we spend time with Him...we can accomplish more than we can ever imagine..I know that there is truth in that and it goes right back to the devotion that I heard and that there is plenty of time in every day to accomplish all that God wants us to complete.  God is amazing and oh so good!  It will be a Glorious Day when He returns!  I am brought to tears at the truth of what He did for me...I am loved, saved, forgiven and have eternal life in HIM!

Collier has been with his Mella and Buzz this week and gets home tonight (thanks to my mom) and I have had the greatest time with my husband with no distractions..but I am also so ready to see that little man.  I can hardly stand another minute away from him.  I have thought several times that I haven't gotten all that I wanted to get done before Collier returned...and then I read again the above and changed my mind...I have done all that God has given me to do in these few days.

Happy Birthday Mom

 Today is my Mom's birthday. Happy Birthday to the best Mom ever and not only that but also the greatest Grammie that any parent could wish for their child!  I am so thankful that she is willing, able and wanting to keep and care for Collier...every day!!!  Collier adores her and I am so thankful for all that she does for and with him.  Mom has sacrificed for us and has always put her family before herself.  I consider her a friend and I love her dearly.  I don't know what I would do with out her.    

Mom - I love you and am so grateful for you.  God has blessed me in a great way with such an amazing Mom. 

As we enter Lent

I feel like it has snuck up on me this year, I can't believe that today is Ash Wednesday and I just realized yesterday that it was already Ash Wednesday.  In a rush I went online to find a Lenten devotional that I can read this season.  I found one and downloaded it last night and started it this morning.  But as I was thinking about entering this season of Lent, I really feel a strong desire to get down to the truth of this season and draw nearer to Christ.  What does Lent really represent to me, a believer?  It is a time for me to repent and fast so that I can erase the space that I have created, in my sin, between myself and Christ so that I can draw near to Him.  In my CBS lesson this week in 1 John 3 it is states so clearly that we ARE sinners and that we have choice in what to do with that sin.  We are filled with the Holy Spirit to convict us of our wrongs and as we turn to Christ and ask for His forgiveness and mercy and grace we can then turn away from our sins and walk in His ways...not MY own!  This is hard to do.  It is hard for me to admit when I have done wrong or when I am wrong, yet when I do the reward is much greater.  I desire to be inside His will.  I want His love to overflow from me into others all to His glory.  What does the next 40 days look like for me in working to accomplish this?  I am not sure but I do know that I need to spend time in His word and in prayer at His feet.  He is a great God who walked this earth, and can understand everything that we face because He also faced it yet He remained sinless!  He Died a painful and humiliating death (and never once sinned) and yet He overcame the grave and ascended into Heaven!  He is a great God!
I love music, I listen to music when I work, when I drive, when I run, when I get ready in the morning!  I just love music!  It is a form of worship for me and I love singing His praises through a song that touches me.  As I was working this morning this song came on and I was singing away and then it suddenly hit me...the words that I was singing...this is exactly what Lent is all about...this is exactly what I WANT this season..wanting more of YOU Lord and Less of me...Empty me and fill me with more of YOU!

Sorry for the quick commercial before the video...its worth it to hear the song though!

Very powerful.  It makes me heart flutter with excitement at the possibility of living this sort of life...Filled with Jesus and not of my selfish and worldly ways.

My Current Siesta Memory Verse:
Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore, If you have any encouragement from being untied with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, being of the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to the interest of your own but each of you to the interest of others.

Singing

Collier has really been using his words lately.  He has times where he will say a word that I can not believe that he can say and then other times that he speaks a totally different language.  I think I may have mentioned that I got Justin a new guitar for Christmas and Collier loves when he plays the guitar.  As a result he plays the air guitar a lot.  In the car the other day I could hear, what sounded to me like, he was singing.   It was very soft and when I muted the music he stopped.  There are times that I will hear him humming, and it cracks me up. I finally caught it on video.  I have no idea what he is singing or humming but it is really funny because he becomes very serious.  His expression is so intense and serious and Justin and I just burst out laughing and he immediately following with laughter.

I have to apologize for how loud I am...I forget that the mic is on the front of my phone, so it sounds like I am yelling.. I sort of am over the music. And yes I normally bob my head when I am singing in the car....I know exactly where that comes from :)

My little man jamm'n out!

Collier

I started this post on Tuesday...am just getting around to adding pictures and wrapping up....

What a blessing it is that we have had the most amazing weather I could ever dream of.  If I didn't have to work I would park myself outside and not come in!  I almost sort of did that this afternoon and I locked myself out of the house...that is taking it to a whole different level.  Funny thing is that Collier was inside taking a nap and I was stuck outside without a key.  Mom had to come and rescue me...Boy am I thankful that they live close :)  Back to the weather, now I know what it is like to live in San Diego - except they have it like this year around.  Aah-Mazing!  I am just thankful for the past few weeks of perfectly blue skies and the sun shinning bright with just enough cool in the air and breeze to knock the hot out.

Has anyone seen Collier?  I can't seem to find him through all of that hair....

Wah-La!  There he is!  All handsome and trimmed up.

I've been in a conference most of this week and I got to hear and meet Chette Williams (AU's football Chaplin)  He was amazing and has a great story and is doing really great things for these young men who come through the AU Athletic program...and much much more!  I am looking forward to a fun and relaxing weekend and hope to soak up some more of this awesome weather!